huntingto n



(No Model.)

0. W. HUNTINGTON. CEILING BLOCK CONNECTOR.

Patented Aug. 19, 1890-.

WITNESSES g ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES \V. HUNTINGTON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CEILING-BLOCK CONNECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,509, dated August 19, 1890. Application filed November 29,1889- Serisl No. 331,962. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. HUNTING- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore,iu the State of Maryland, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Cut-Outs, of which the following is a specification.

The invention pertains to electric cutouts, with particular reference to the form of cutout known as a ceiling-block.

The object of the invention is to provide a ceiling-block from which the cap may be removed andreplaced with facility and dispatch.

A further object is the production of a ceiling-block which shall be of simple and cheap construction.

The invention consists, in general, of the combination of a base and cap, the former provided with metallic sockets and the latter provided with metallic springs adapted to enter said sockets and hold the cap in place against the base. These metallic pieces, while serving to secure the parts together, also convey the electric current. The springs on the cap have a peculiar shape and extend to the outside of the same, where they may be grasped by the hand and manipulated to remove the cap from the base.

The detailsof the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the ceiling-block in position. Fig. 2 represents a central vertical section of the base and cap, the two being'disconnect-ed, and the dotted lines indicating the position of the cap when in engagement with the base; and Fig. 3-represents a plan of the' inner side of the cap, showing the fuses and connections.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A represents the base of the block, formed of wood or any other suitable insulating material. It

is of general circular shape, as usual, and is fitted with two metallic sockets a, a, which fit I into chambers 'a. a, formed in the base for their reception. These sockets extend to the outside of the block and are there provided. with binding-screws and a socket to receive the main wires of the circuit. The inner ends of these pieces aare curved upward and back again to form the inverted-U shape shown.

At the lower end of one of the legs of the U a lip a? is provided, for a purpose which will appear later.

B represents the vertical cap, which consists of a circular block of some less diameter than the base. Its upper side is somewhat dished to accommodate the heads of screws, fuses, doc. These are shown in Fig. 3. The cap car ries two bent spring contact-strips b b, which are formed to fit closely into the U-shaped sockets a a in the base. These springs are formed with. an engaging shoulder 12', which when the cap is in place engages with the lip a) on the sockets a and preventsthe removal of the cap from the base. Each spring hasa tail-piece biwhich exten ds downward through openings b in the cap. When the cap is in place, the electric circuit is from one main conductor through a socket a to a spring I), through a safety-fuse c, conductor 0', to the incandescent lamp or other translating device in multiple are, back through the conductor 0 the safety-fuse 0 the other spring b, the other socket a, and the other main.

This general 7 form of ceiling-block-i. a, with the connecting-pieces aa extending out side-I am aware is old; but in such instances the cap has been secured to the base-piece by means of screws or by threads cut in the cap and base piece. In all such blocks it requires considerable time and is oftentimes a bothersome operation to remove the cap from the base for the purpose of inspecting or replacing a fuse. 'By my invention in order to perform this operation it is only necessary to grasp the projecting springs b b and press them toward each other, thus releasing the shoulders I) b from the lips a. a and removing the cap fromthe base-piece. To replace the cap,'it may be grasped bodily, and after properly directing the springs into the sockets a it is pressed home and is securely held in place.

The operation is therefore very simple. To prevent shocks in case it becomes necessary, the projecting ends of the springs 12 may be insulated.

Having described my invention,I claim-- The combination of the base-piece provided with two U -shaped socket-pieces, each of whichhas an integral lug orbracket extending In witness whereof I have hereunto signed outside of thebase-piece, Where it is formed my name in the presence of two subscribing into a binding-post, and a cap-piece provided witnesses.

with two U-shaped metallic springs adapted CHAS. W. HUNTINGTON. to engage with said U-shaped sockets to hold WVitnesses: the cap and base together and complete an HENRY BERNHEIMER,

electric circuit. JOHN F. OLDFIELD. 

